benefices but ample commission rather for all parts with a sufficient stipend to liue vpon vntil things be better setled Lo heere that which is spoken to great good purpose for some few preachers only to be free from any particular charge and this for a while to the end they may attend to all places is turned odiously by these men to all priests in general VVhat wil yow say of this malitious kynd of dealing but the narrownesse of this place suffereth vs not to passe herein any further There remayneth then the third part of this book concerning the laytie conteyning the Prince with his counsel the nobility communalty and hath this title in the first chapter therof Of the laity temporalty in general of their agreement and concurrance with the Cleargie most needful for both their good the difference also of both their states And then the Chapter beginneth thus By that which I haue spoken in the first Chapter and second part of this memorial about Cleargymen the difference and distinction may appeare that is betwixt these two principal braunches of a Christian and Catholike comon-wealth to wit the Cleargie and layty which is a distinction obserued from the very beginning of Christian religion and the primatiue Church as may appeare by the first second third eight seauenty and diuers other cannons of the first general Counsel of Nice where often mention is made of this distinction And before that againe Tertullian a most learned and auncient wryter not only setteth downe the same distinction of cleargy and lay-men as receaued generally in his tyme but sheweth also and reprehendeth earnestly the emulation and enuy that euen then begonne by art of the diuel to be in diuers of the laity against the Cleargie c. VVe cannot prosecute the rest at large but only giue yow a gesse what manner of matter it is which ensueth by the first entrance and so the next chapter being of the Prince and the counsel begynneth thus As the Prince in euery common-wealth is the head and hart from whence all lyfe and vigour principally cometh vnto the same so aboue all other things is it of importance that he be wel affected and disposed and so much the more in England aboue other countreys by how much greater and eminent his authority is and power with the people more then in diuers other places by which meanes it hath coÌ„men to passe that England hauing had more store of holy kings in ancient tymes then many other contreys togeather came to haue also religion and piety more aboundaÌ„tly setled by their meanes then diuers realmes about them c. Thus there The 3. Chapter is of the nobility and gentry beginning in these words By the nobility of England we do vnderstand according to the fashion of other countreys not only noble men of title but gentlemen esquyres knights and other degrees that be aboue yeomen husband men and the communalty in which inferior sort of nobility beneath Barons I meane of knights esquyres and gentlemen there is not that distinction obserued betwixt their degrees in forraine countreys as in ours and I take ours farre the better and more laudable order This nobility then and gentry being the cheef members of our Realme are carefully to be preserued by our Catholike Prince in their ancient honors dignityes and priuiledges and whatsoeuer iniury or disestimation hath byn layd vpon them these later yeares by occasion of heresy it is to be remooued and particular inquiry is to be made by commissioners appointed by the parlament For this purpose wherin and in what points the nobility of England hath byn iniured dishonored or oppressed to the end that supplication may be made to the Catholike Prince for remedy therof And as the ancient nobility of England in tymes past came to that dignity in the common-wealth and to their credit estimation both with Prince and people first for their piety and zeale in Christian religion and secondly for their fidelity and valour in seruice of their prince and countrey so their heyres and posterity must conserue the same by the self same meanes c. And so he followeth on with many other considerations which wee pretermit The 4. Chapter of this part is intituled Of the Innes of Court and study of the common lawes with diuers considerations also about the lawes themselues c. About which subiect diuers important points are suggested for making that study to florish with more honour and profit of the weale-publike and the students good The 5. Chapter is Of the common people of England and how greatly they are to be cherished and made of which Chapter beginneth thus The communalty being the body and bulk of the Realme and those that sustayne the poyse and labour of the same they are greatly to be cherished nowrished esteemed conserued and next after the planting of true religion and knowledge of God greate care is to be had of their enâ—itching for that as Constantius the Emperour was wont to say the princes true treasure are the coffers of his subiects and especially of the communalty who if they be poore and needy can neyther pay their landlords nortil or mannure their ground nor help the Prince in his necessityes And by the communalty in this place I vnderstand labouring nun seruingmen husbandmen yeomen aertificers citizens and marchants all which labour and â—oyle to the end that others may liue in rest And in England their condition as before I haue touched was wont to be more prosperous and happy then in any countrey els of the world besides and may be againe by the grace of God with the restoring of true religion the losse wherof brought not only spiritual but also temporal misery vpon vs all and our Realme c. Thus wryteth he there laying downe many excellent meanes for comfort of this communalty which we wil not prosecute in this place for breuityes sake nor say any more at all of this whole book or Treatese but only remit our selues to the iudgment of the indifferent Reader to gesse by this litle he hath seene what manner of matter and with what piety moderation and tender loue of our countrey the whole is wrytten which these men so spitefully do maligne and cauil at And this shal be sufficient for a tast of this fourth book Touching the third intituled A conference about the next succession to the Crowne of England had in the yeare 1593. for that it is in printe and in the hands of many and the contents therof sufficiently knowen we shal need to say lesse but only to note vnto the Reader the like great passion and intemperate folly of these our brethren in exclaming now so eagerly against it which not long ago when they were in good tune they liked wel and highly commended and wheras it is knowen that it came forth with the consent liking and approbation at least of our
art inexcusable that iudgest another condemning thy selfe by iudging him seing thow doest the selfe same thinges wherwith thow findest fault in him The wryter of the Conference putteth downe his name R. Doleman and whether it be his true name or no it little importeth the reason therof is before by vs declared in the next precedent Chapter This other pamphleter cometh forth without any name at all and yet quarreleth with the other for not putting a name is not heere more then S. Paules condemnation against so impudent a cauiller But let vs passe from a vayne and idle Preface to the barren bulke of the worke it selfe which is more ridiculous and absurd then the preamble what do yow thinke that this discouerer hath performed in his whole little barking pamphlet against the forsaid book Hath he answered think yow any one reason argument example or discourse therin set downe throughout those nynteene large Chapters coÌ„teyned in the conference No truly nor hath so much as gone about to do it And wherin then doth he spend his tyme and paper in this discouery yow shal heare breefely and therby know the man First he sheweth himselfe very angry at the common opinion of men about the estimation and credit of this book generally wherat also VV. VV. doth storme exceedingly in his epistle to the Important Considerations The author saith he is so extolled for sharpnes of wit plenty of much reading cunning in conueyance aboundance of eloquence and other graces as none can find any want or default c. Do yow not see heere enuy accuse and condemne her selfe Secondly he taketh in hand and this in diuers parts of his Discouery to shew that the setting forth of this book could not be with the priuity of the K. of Spaine that is now dead or he that now raigneth nor pleasing to eyther of them for that it hurteth his cause a very wise and pertinent argument and that other betrer meanes might haue byn deuised yf he forsooth and his fellowes had byn called to counsel for the aduauncment of the K. honorable designes seruices and offices for so are his words Marry saith he in ordine ad Deum vsque ad aras and more then this I am sure quoth he so good a king wil not require c. Do yow se how careful this discouerer is to hold good opinion with the K. of Spaine how desyrous to further his honorable designes and seruices in ordine ad Deum vsque ad aras shal we thinke this to come from M. Paget VVe can hardly beleeue it Thirdly he taketh in hand to giue many graue notes vpon the reasoning of the two lawyers in the book of Conference and first of all he complaineth that the speakers in the dialogue or conference about succession as also the place named by the author are counterfait as in the title of his answere yow haue heard him auouch which is so egregious a foolery as nothing can be more for with this substantial reason he may refute euery thing wherin fayned persons are brought in to speake and consequently condemne and reiect for counterfet things all Plato and Tullyes works wrytten in dialogue maner affirming that those their conferences and persons therin named were for the most part fayned and counterfetted And is not this also a point of great wisdome Fourthly he findeth great fault with this book for that therin two lawyers should be brought in to reason and be iudges of so great and weightie a controuersy about the succession not law it self But what a iest is this As though law is not best vttered by lawyers or as though to determine weightie controuersyes the rediest way were to bring many law bookes into the place without lawyers to expound them VVho seeth not the cauilling vanity of this man Fifthly he misliketh and comâ—layneth greeuously that the ciuil lawyer should speak first and before the temporal lawyer in this Conference wherof he inferreth that the intention of the wryter is when tyme shal serue in England to haue the ciuil law of Caesar for so his words are preferred before the auncient municipal lawes of our Country which municipal lawes he affirmeth Pope Eleutherius to haue appoynted to Lucius king saith he of all the great Britany and to haue commanded this at the request of the Brytish nobâ—lity and people aboue 1400. yeares past that Caesars ciuil lawes should be Abolished c. Mark heere we beseech yow the learned discourse of our wise Doctor because the ciuilian speaketh first more largely in the first book of the Conference and contrary wise in the second and for that the said first book is before the second book therfore he inferreth that the wryter had a purpose to preferre the ciuil law before the temporal Is he not worthie a doctorship trow yow that so reasoneth As for the second point about Eleutherius the Pope that he appointed K. Lucius to banish Caesars ciuil lawes and to plant municipal lawes or that these municipal lawes that now are in England brought in principally by the Conqueâ—oun and increased synce by acts of ParliameÌ„t as all men know were in Britany in Pope Eleutherius his tyme or that K. Lucius was king of all the great Britany as heere is aâ—ouched vnto vs or that the said K. Lucius or his nobility did demaund these municipal lawes at the Popes hand as this wise discouerer affirmeth these things we say being such strange noueltyes as they are required some proof at least at the Doctors hand yf he wil not be held ridiculous as most of these things are alleadged by him but citing none at all euery man wil iudge of him accordingly In the sixt place after much coÌ„plaint as hath byn touched that the Ciuilian lawyer in the first book speaketh more then the temporal he saith thus The temporal lawyer for his part must follow an eccho not betweene two hilles vpon stoppage of breath for modesty and feare but in playne fields not subiect to rebounds boldly without blushing to correspond c. Consider heere a very graue complaint for that the temporal lawyer is made to answere and allow the Ciuilians speech But heare yet a much grauer and earnest against the trauellers which being present at the speech do speake also themselues sometimes for varietyes sake telling the lawyers what seemeth best to them which thing greatly misliketh this wise discouerer for which cause he wryteth thus against it Furthermore saith he the trauailers for their parts must help the credit of these lawyers by a coople of od shifts els all wilnot go straight for by the meanes of their ranging throughout diuers countreys we must haue a common opinion settled eurey where that all is true which these two haue said and agreeable to the lawes of nature and consequently the common â—ame of their horrible blasts mustâ—course both ayre and earth c. This is his complanit for that poynt
A MANIFESTATION OF THE GREAT FOLLY AND BAD SPIRIT OF certayne in England calling themselues secular priestes VVho set forth dayly most infamous and contumelious libels against worthy men of their owne religion and diuers of them their lawful Superiors of which libels sundry are heer examined and refuted By priestes lyuing in obedience 2. Tim. 3. Their folly shal be manifest to all men Luc â—â— The vncleane spirit went foorth and took seauen other spirits more wicked then himself and all entring dwelt there and the ending of those men was worse then the beginning Superiorum Permissu 1602. ¶ Of the contradiction of fond men PRoficit semper contradictio stultorum ad stultitiae demonstrationem quia quae ingenio insipientis aut peruersae intelligentiae aduersus veritatem coaptantur dum in concussa immobilis est necesse est vt quae è diuerso sunt falsâ— intelligantur stulta Hilar. lib. 8. de Trinit THe more that vnwise men do contend and contradict others the more they make manifest their owne indiscretion and folly for that such arguments as are framed eyther by their owne fond inuentions or peruerse misconstructions against truth that remayneth euer immoueable and not to be shaken must needs be found to be false and foolish THE PREFACE to the Catholike Reader MVCH against our wils were we forced these dayes past deare Catholike reader to interrupt the course of our peaceable priestly labors and to enter into a certayne contention and warre of wryting not so much against the comon enemy of our religion for that had byn comfortable as against our owne tumultuous brethren in defence of order iustice and innocency and of the lawful authority of our Superiors intemperatly impugned by them which defence we called an Apologie of the English Catholike Ecclesiastical Hierarchy c. endeauoring therin so to temper the style of our wryting as mighâ— be somewhat answerable to the grauity of the subiect yet exasperate no further the impugnerâ— then the necessary opening of the truth of matters should meerly force vs vnto and this we hope that euery indifferent Reader wil haue considered and be ready to beare vs witnesse And this office being once performed for the true information of those that desyre to knowe how matters had passed our meaning was to go no further in this contention but to returne to our reposed lyfe againe and so our hope was that we might but alas weâ— prooue the contrary and that as a graue author saith facilior est ortus quam exitus rixâ—rum the beginning of braulings is easyer then the ending especially when the passions wheron they are grounded be inward and permanent as in our case it seemeth to stand the ground of al these contentions appearing euidently to be enuy and emulation fostered by ambition anger reuenge and other such Assistants which how perilous and pernicious counselors they be to continue debate rancor and malice and to bring all to perdition that harken vnto them were ouerlong to recyte out of holy mens wrytings yet can I not omit the saying of an old Saint Piâ—mmoâ— the Anachorite recounted by 〈◊〉 Cassiaâ—us almost twelue hundred yeares pasâ— his speech is this Sciendum sanè est iâ—â—idiae morbuâ— difficilius ad medelâ—m quâ—m â—â—tera vitia perduci nam eum quem semel veneni sui peste corruperit penè dixerim carere remedio ipsa namque est lues de qua figuraliter dicitur per prophetam Ecce ego mittam vobis serpentes regulos quibus non est incantatio mordebâ—nt vos c. Yow must know that the sicknesse of enuy is cured more hardly then other vices in so much that when any man is infected with this venome I may almost say that he is irremediable seing this infectioÌ„ is that wherof God speaketh of by Hieromie the prophet figuratiuely Behould I vvil send vpon yovv deadly serpents against vvhome no inchauntment shal preuayle they shal byte yovv c. Thus beginneth he his treatese of this matter wherin for that diuers things are most excellently spoken by him fit to our purpose and easy to be applyed to the present state of our affayers we think it not amisse to recyte some part therof more at large heare then his discourse Rightly saith he is the byting of enuy compared by the prophet to the venemous stinging of a deadly basiliske serpent wherby the first poysoned serpent of all others yea the author and inuentor of all poyson the diuel was both slayne and slue For first by enuy he slue himself afterward him whome he enuyed to wit our first parent according to the saying of the scripture By enuy of the diuel death entred into the vvorld c. And as he being once deadly infected with this poyson of enuy could neuer after be cured eyther by the holsome medicine of pennance or otherwise but perished eternally so men that suffer themselues to be corrupted with the same poyson and bytings of enuy do become incurable excluding all helpes of holsome inchauntements of the holy Ghost against the same The reason wherof is for that the enuious are not styrred vp to hate others for any true fault which they see in them but rather for their good parts vertues and gifts of God and so being ashamed to vtter the true causes in deed of their auersion they pretend other idle superfluous external reasons which being no true causes indeed but only fayned it is but tyme lost to go about to remoue them the true causes indeed lying hidden in the bottome of their entralles c. Nay further this pestilence of enuy when it once entreth maÌ„s hart it becometh so incurable as it is exasperated by faire speech puffed vp by humble offices and styrred to wrath by gyfts good turnes in so much as Salomon saith nihil sustinet zelus nothing can content or satisfie emulation for by how much the party enuyed is eminent eyther in humility patience munificence or other vertues the more potent prickes of enuy hath the enuyer to be styrred vp against him nor is he satisfied with any thing but with his death or ruine c. Wherfore so much the more pernicious and incureable is enuy aboue all other vices by how much more it is encreased nourished by those very remedyes wherby other synnes are cured and extinguished as for example he that is angry with yow for some hurt receaued if yow recompence him liberally he is content and satisfied He that complayneth of an iniury receaued if yow giue him humble satisfaction he is pleased againe But what wil yow do to him who the more humble and benigne he seeth yow the more is he offended to see those vertues in yow And what seruant of God to satisfie an enuious man wil leaue of vertue and other good things wherwith God hath endewed him c. Thus wryteth that blessed man and how fully this falleth out in
our affayre where Gods holy gyfts and vertues themselues are enuyed at by them that wil not immitate the same is easy to discerne And if no other proof were extant yet their owne books set forth in such number and with such passion to discredit their aduersaryes are sufficient witnesses wherin they set downe so many high prayses giuen by other men to their said aduersaryes as albeit the partyes theÌ„selues do nether chaleÌ„ge nor acknowledge them yet is it euideÌ„t that the enuy of these and other like prayses hath put these mens mynds quite out of ioynt Neyther remayneth there any way as it seemeth for the enuyed in this case to discharge themÌ„selues of this raging tempest raysed against them but eyther to chaunge their laudable course of lyfe wherby they haue gotten that esteeme which these men enuy at this is not tolerable or for these men to alter their iudgmeÌ„ts and se their owne follyes and passioÌ„s herin which we shal endeauour to lay before them in this our treatese and that out of their owne bookes and wrytings And albeit we had fully purposed as before is sayd to wryte no more about this argumeÌ„t yer seing so many libels to come our daylie so false and slaunderous so pernicious not only to Christian vnity but also to the integrity of Catholike faith verity and those vnder the names of priests the very honor of priesthood it selfe hath forced vs to take pen in hand againe contrary to our former determinatioÌ„ therby to wipe away if it be possible some part of that notorious discredit and slaunder which iustly otherwise may fal vpon our whole order if such intemperate proceedings published in priests names should passe vncontrouled by all kynd of priests Wherfore our entent in this treatese is to shew that eyther these infamous libels set forth in priests names are not indeed of priests but of some other that play their parts or if they come from priests indeed then must we needs runne in this matter to the words of our Sauiour touching sal infatuatum infatuated priests such as haue lost not only all sauour of priestly wisdome and shining light of true vnderstanding but all true spirit also of Christian priests and priesthood which we shal declare by diuers proofes and considerations takeÌ„ out of their owne books for which cause we haue intituled this treatese A manifestation of the great folly and bad spirit of some in England that call themselues secular priestes Wherunto we were induced the rather as wel by those words of S. Paul alleadged in our first page insipientia corum manifesta erit omnibus their folly shal be made manifest to all speaking of such as made diuision as also by that dreadful parable of our Sauiour concerning the wicked vncleane spirit that leauing men for a tyme and finding no rest abroad returned and perceauing the habitation left by him to be wel cleansed but not wel fenced entred againe with seauen worse spirits then himself and so made the ending of those men worse then their beginning It were ouer long and exceeding the measure of a preface to set downe heer the interpretations and godly considerations of old ancient Saints about this parable of our Sauiour especially seing that for so much as appertayneth to this our affayre it is not hard for any man to see the coherence and application therof for that when these libellers were first made priests if they be priests and took that most sacred order of cleargy vpon them wherby they weare adopted into the peculiar choise and seuered portion of almighty God for so much importeth Cleargie they did not only renounce the spirit of Sathan in general as men do in baptisme by those words ab renuncio diabolo omnibus operibus eius c. but particularly also the prophane secular spirit of the world and all corruption and vncleanesse therof appertayning to libetty of the flesh by their strait obligation of chastity deuotion piety annexed to that holy calling aboue other men which prophane and vncleane spirit being once excluded by the holy character and vnction of priesthood and the house made cleane by the broome of holy pennance adorned also with graces and gyfts of the holy Ghost if after the same spirit returne agayne and fynd the guard and defence therof weake by negligence of the keeper or the dores broken open by the violence of passions as in our case alas it seemeth to stand he presumeth saith our Sauiour not only to enter agayne himself but to take bad company also with him to wit seauen other spirits nequiores se more wicked then himself that is to say more spiritual malitious more couert and hidden more obstinate and self willed more opposite to charity and more like to the diuel himself that is a meer spirit and the head patron and fountayne of all wicked wilful spirits For albeit the grosse spirit of wordly sensualitie be a foule and vncleane spirit especially in a priest and be also from the diuel yet as Cassianus in the former place doth note and all other Fathers do obserue in like manner it is no way so dangerous or wicked as are the spirits of more spiritual sinnes to witt enuy pride ambition hatred reuenge other like which are so counterset and couered poysons as often tymes they are not knowne nor held for vices and consequently neyther cured nor cared for nay they passe for vertues so are often tymes taken by the possessors themselues as for example enuy for zeale in Gods cause pride for corage ambition for desyre of ability to do much good and so in the rest wherby it cometh to passe that he whose house is possessed with these most pernicious guests doth think himself wel furnished and in good case and consequently neyther endeauoreth to expel them out nor confesseth his fault or negligence therin nor seeketh remedy by the holy refuge of pennance good counsel or other spiritual helpes and herby cometh it to passe that which our Sauiour saith fiunt nouissimâ— hominis istiuâ— peioraprioribus the ending of this man is worse then his begynning VVherunto that dreadful commination of the holy Apostle S. Paul doth wel agree also who sayth wryting to the Hebrues Impossible est â—os qui semel sunt illuminati c. prolapsi rursus renouari ad poenitentiam It is vnpossible for them that are once lightened by Gods grace and fal back agayne to be renewed by pennance Which words howsoeuer we vnderstand them eyther that the grace of baptisme is here meant or the word impossible taken for hard and rare euery way and in all senses it is a most terrible sentence ought to mooue men greatly that do see themselues fallen from a better state to a worse and from a quiet calme sweet humble modest spirit to a proud turbulent ireful impudent or contemptuous behauiour towards their brethren or equals and much more
maner of our wrytings and proofes from theirs will easily we doubt not see where truth goeth as also the discreed it which these men do runne into by ripping vp that matter againe yet shall we in this place lay before yow some other considerations also to the same effect And first we would haue yow to weigh attentiuely that yf all were true which these accusers pretend in this their narratioÌ„ of VVisbich for of this vvil vve treat first about F. VVestoÌ„s desyre to haue that Agency in VVisbich Castle for directing of some in that prison towards a more retyred lyfe which these men contemptuously call Donatisme or that he had taken the foresaid office willingly vpoÌ„ him when he was elected by the coÌ„pany or permitted by his Superior to take it yf all this we say had byn true as we shal shew after the most points to be false yet how may that odious consequence be drawne from hence which these men euery where do inferre that all the rest of the Iesuits throughout EnglaÌ„d yf they could haue preuayled in this one thing would by this platforme presideÌ„t haue gotten the gouernmeÌ„t ouer all secular priests within the whole Realme how we say by what reason doth this follow or what cohereÌ„ce hath the gouernmeÌ„t ouer secular priests abroad with the priuate direction of a few particular men in VVisbich Castle doth not euery man discouer great folly heere in this forced inference But now to the antecedent VVhat likelyhood is there that Father VVeston being a man of those parts and qualityes as he is hauing byn Prouincial as these men say of all the Iesuits in England would seeke so greedyly for so poorea preferment as is to be Agent and seruaÌ„t for Superior they confesse he refused to be to a few of his fellow prisoners in that Castle or that F. VValley Prouincial for the present as by these men he is called and F. Persons his Superior againe in Rome which two they call afterward most scornefully the one knig the other Emperor should so bestyrre themselues weary all their frends to gett F. VVeston looking euery day rather for martyrdome then otherwise such an aduancement with so great trouble and offence in the prison where he was And is this credible in men of witt or to men of reason Heere then is discouered extreeme passion and perturbation of mynd in these relators and in nothing more then that they make it a matter so exorbytaÌ„t vndecent for a religioâ—s man to haue the direction of secular priests in matters of spirit and deuotion by way of companyes and congregations wheras themselues cannot be ignorant that in all Catholike contreys throughout the world where Iesuits liue it is very ordinary among other meanes which they vse for assisting men in spiritual affayres to institute seueral congregations confraternityes of all sorts of people themselues being Prefects and directors therof for exercise of all pious works and godlynes and this was in Paris and other cittyes of France while they remayned there and is at this day in Rome Naples Siuill Toledo Valencia Salamanca and other townes of Italy and Spayne and other places and the fruite of these congregations is infinite for all kynd of piety and in Rome it selfe it cannot be denied but that great prelats noble men and Cardinals themselues are of these congregations wherin priuate religious men of this order be euer the heads prefects for direction and execution of the rules yet do not those Cardinals or Prelats thinke theÌ„selues disgraced by this or accompt Iesuits ambitious proud or arrogant for taking the same vpon theÌ„ as these our haughty mynded brethren do neyther do they doubt or feare least by this act the Iesuits pretend afterward a gouernment ouer all Cardinals as these men seeme to feare ouer all secular preists though the matter in it selfe be ridiculous Moreouer wheras the principal butt of these meÌ„ is throughout this booke a graue argument or subiect no doubt to shew that F. VVeston aspired to this office of Ageny in the pryson among those priests that desyred to liue more retyred and to haue rules of pious conuersation appoynted them they do first confesse and set downe the quite contrary out of his owne words and doings which ought to be the best trials with indifferen men and then do seeke to proue their purpose by interpreting his meaning to be different from his words and deeds so as where all spiritual authors do teach vs that according to charity we ought to follow this rule that then when mennes words or actions of theÌ„selues cannot wel be defended we should interpret wel at leastwise their intention these men wil needs follow the contrary rule against F. VVeston condemning his intention when his words and actions are outwardly good cannot be condeÌ„ned as yow may see pag. 8. 9. 10. of this their narration where they confessing that he refused the office of Prefect layd vpon him yet do say that he was desyrous the thing should be obtruded vnto him c. By which rule of sinister interpretation what man is there liuing that may not be calumniated and the deuil himselfe is called a calumniator especially for this kynd of inference as yow may note in his proceeding against Iob it is most detestable to all good men But that which most of all layeth open the folly of this whole subiect relation of VVisbich is that our discontented brethren so tel their tale as whosoeuer shal read the same with any attention may clerely perceaue of the one side to staÌ„d not only the farre greater part of the more ancient company but that which more importeth desyre of order discipline recollection obedience modesty and temperate behauiour and on the other side all the contrary to witt not only the farre lesse number but freer also in speech and coÌ„uersation more giuen to liberty refusing all rules and order but only the common Canons of the Church and Sacrament of pennance as they professe condemning for noueltyes and innouations all other helpes to spirit and deuotion This we say and many other things tending to this purpose are as cleerly to be seene in this their owne narration if the Reader stand attent as they are touched by vs breefly in our foresaid Apologie And to this effect it is said of F. VVeston He tooke vpon him to control fynd fault with this and that as the coming into the Hal of a hobby horse in Christmas affirming that he would no longer tolerate these aud these so grosse abuses which his pride vanity c. At which his pride and vanity we greatly maruayled c. And a little after bringing in the said fathers speech with D. Bagshaw they report him to say thus There are some enormityes which we would be glad to auoyd and do therfore purpose to impose vpon our selues a more strict order leauing yow
deuised and cast abroad this memorial to wit Robert Fisher sent ouer into Flanders by the seditious of VVisbich to that effect as hath byn shewed at large in the 7. Chapter of our Apologie where we haue set downe the examination of the said Robert vpon his oath before his Hol. Fiscal in Rome and how he misliked his owne dooings therin bewrayed the falshood detected his complices and confessed all to be deuised vpon malice and stomake which our brethren knowing sufficieÌ„tly by the authentical copie of the said deposition sent into England and hauing seene also the publique testimony of six very reuerend and graue Priests Assistants to the Archpriest against that memorial as also the letters of many other priests which we haue there cyted it is strange that perturbation of mynd should so much preuayle with our brethren and the remorse of conscience be so litle as to reuiue the same now againe and being only in latyn before to print it now in English to the vew of all men And do they not know or remember that the publishers of infamous libels and defamations are as deeply both in the synne it selfe as also in Church censures as are the makers and wryters therof VVho can doubt of this But now to the contents of the libel The first paragraphe after many falsityes alleadged against Iesuits concludeth thus They hold no doctrine Catholike and sound that commeth not from themselues no dispensation auaylâ—able that is not graunted by them which is worse they haue beate into the heads of most that the masse is not rightly celebrated of any but of a Iesuite Thus they wryte And do our brethren beleeue this to be true Againe in the fourth paragraph besides many calumniations they say thus No Iesuite goeth to visit any one in England or trauayleth from one place to another but he is richly apparaylled attended on with a great trayne of seruants as yf he were a Baron or an Earle Is this true also in the consciences of our brethren Againe in the fifth paragraph They neuer send one scholler out of England to the Colledge of Doway to study there c. nay they haue laboured by all meanes vtterlâ— to dissolue it Is this true also Let the President and books of that Colledge testifie In the seauenth paragraphe they say VVomen also are induced by them to become Nunnes to leaue such goods as they haue to them c. And is there any one example thinke yow to be giuen of this Or is it any way probable seing that Nunnes haue such neede of their dowries for their owne maintenance yf they wil be receaued into any monasteryes beyond the seas The eight paragraph beginneth thus All vniuersity men and such as haue taken any degree in schooles the Iesuits hate despise contemne reproch And is this verifiable thinke yow or likely to be true Their conclusion is this To conclude say they Catholikes stand in more â—eare of the Iesuits then of the heretikes c. and that indirectly they cause priests to be apprehended by the enimy c. The censure of which conclusion as also of the spirit and pious disposition of these our brethren which do publish these things in print and in vulgar tongues against the whole order of religious men we remit to all good Catholiks iudgment And so much of this first memorial The second and third Catalogue of slanders which they put downe as well against the whole Society of Iesuits as also against those that labour in England are much more deceytfully though yet childishly handled by our brethren then the former For wheras they wel knowe that these poynts of defamation by them published were wrytten by some of their owne frends and this very secretly and couertly vnderhand by them sent to Rome therby to incense the flame of the Roman Sedition when it was on fire with order to spread the said slaunders abroad but in no wise to discouer the authors therof these our men without eyther scruple of conscience for the things themselues being notoriously false or respect of their said frends credit haue divulged them now in print vnder this tytle Certaine cheife poynts of accusations wherwith many Englishmen haue iustly charged the Iesuites c. But marke heere their manifold falshood for first no man hitherto to our knowledge eyther English or other in the world hath offered to come forth and accuse or prooue lawfully these points against the Iesuits and much lesse these many Englishmen that heere are insinuated who writ their calumniations in corners as hath byn said and sent them to Rome to be spread in secret for so one of them wryteth in the article heere set downe vse my letters secretly but effectualy c. And-further where heere it is said that many Englishmen gaue vp these false accusations we fynd but two named in the latyn original copy to wit Ch. P. VV. G. who by these men are guilfully omitted in the English and by vs also should not be meÌ„tioned but that we are forced in some sort to figure their names by the first letters for testimony of the truth for seing they denyed the same afterward by many protestations to many one of them before a publike magistrate and the matters obiected being so absurd impious and apparantly false in themselues we would willingly haue held silence therin cannot but wonder at the folly of these shamelesse libellers that repeat them heere againe and moreouer to auerre as they doe that the Fathers were iustly charged with them And we doubt not but that euery modest man of what religion or profession soeuer he be wil wonder also with vs when they shal heare and consider both the absurdity of the things obiected and the open apparant malice in setting them forth to the world with such approbation as heere they do For better vnderstanding wherof we must note that these calumniations which heere they set abroad were certayne briefe articles collected by some of the Fathers in Rome out of a greate masse of seditious letters which at the making vp of the peace and ending of the stryfes in that cytie were partly discouered and exhibited voluntarily vpon scruple of conscience by those that had byn troblesome partly found by chance or rather perhaps by Gods prouidence the better to confirme the said peace within the colledge which letters had byn wrytten and sent thither by the foresaid two frends C. P. and VV. G. out of Flanders for the intent before mentioned of increasing those troubles And for somuch as the said partyes during the styrres protested euery where that they had no part therin but rather were sory for them these letters being found to the contrary were put togeather in a good large booke yet extant and out of that booke of larger relations were gathered certayne briefe articles yet in the very woords so neere as might be of the wryters themselues which
left great signes of his loue and reuerence towards his mother the Society as he was bound and as we haue shewed in our Apologie neyther hath any slaughter or bloudshed followed from the Iesuits by his death nor is like to do by the grace of God whensoeuer it shal please him to cal vnto him his Hol. whome we desyre and pray for daylie that he may liuelong and so we do assure our selues the Iesuits do also whatsoeuer this vnchristian calumniation doth cast out to the contrary which how wel grounded it is may appeare by two other that ensue the one that the Iesuits seeke the gouernmeÌ„t of the Colledge of Doway and the other immediatly following that the Iesuits by their Machauillian practises go about to procure the dissolution of the same Colledge But of these matters the President Doctors and Ancients of Doway Colledge togeather with the facts and effects themselues wil testifie against this slaunderous tongue as also against that impious obiectioÌ„ wherby they say in another Article That it is a knowne positioÌ„ or maxim among the Iesuits Diuide impera set in diuision and then shal yow gouerne at your pleasure VVhich is so malitious a conceyt against so religious men that we blush to relate it albeit they blush not to affirme it as neyther another cryme more improbable then this saying That the Iesuits in Rome do vse to intercept all manner of letters of all men what soeuer not forbearing the packets of Cardinals nor Princes c. VVhat forehead would affirme this and put it in print could neuer yet any one be taken with this seing it is said to be vsed to so many so punished for the same But that yow may better see their good consciences heare we pray yow what true and pious protestations they make of English affayres and Catholikes there N. calleth God his angels to witnes in latin Deum testatur VV. G. angelus eius that the greatest part of the Nobility and Cleargie in England both at home and abroad do be wayle with sighes and teares their most miserable estate in that they suffer more greuous things vnder these new tyrants the Iesuits then by all their other greuous daylie persecutions VV. G. ep ad Marc. Now whether this be true or no that the farre greater part maxima pars of the Nobility and the English Clergie both at home and abroad wherin no doubt must enter all the Seminaryes also do thus weepe and bewaylâ— their miseryes and calamityes receyued by Iesuits and whether this be so certaine a truth as VV. G. may cal God and his Angels to witnesse therof and whether these men with a good conscience could publish the same in print we leaue to any Catholike man or ciuil Protestant to iudge And yet they repeat the very same againe as most true and notorious in the article following saying That the persecution of the Iesuits is more greuous to the Catholiks then that of the heretikes in England And all this yow must note was wrytten in the yeare 1596. When these later broylâ—s and reuolts of these our mutined brethren were not yes fallen out Further also they tel his Hol. for his better information in English affayres that nothing doth so vex the English Catholiks as the contempt and hatred in the Iesuits of the President that now is in latyn praesentis Pontificis and the slaunderous reproches imputed by them to the renowned Cardinals Toled and Alexandrinus VV. G. epist. ad Temp. 19â— Septemb. 1596. And could enuy her selfe thinke yow inuent more odious and malitious stuffe But yet harken further Of three hundred priests say they which haue entred into England scarse six or seauen haue fallen away but of twenty Iesuits eight haue reuolted And is this iustifiable Nay is there any one of them that was sent to England hitherto by obedieÌ„ce of his superiors reuolted or fallen Yf there be not what impudensie is it so boldly to auouch it what folly also to name so many of their fellow priestes whose number wee pray God that some of these men do not encrease But yet let vs hearefurther of English matters and English Iesuits set downe vnder another general head or branch intituled Touching the Iesuites in England wherof the first is The Fathers of the Society in England do discent amongst themselues F. HeÌ„ry the Superior and F. Edmund in the prison at VVisbich and there are 26. articles of their dissention Thus saith this article and then is quoted Ch. P. in colloq cum P. Bonardâ—vt patet ex eiusdem literis 27. Sept. 1597. VVhich quotation our brethren for sparing of their frends do omit though in all their later books they do contradict the whole substance of this article also by complayning that F. Garnet F. Edmund and F. Persons with the rest are too much vnited the one obaying the others beck c. After this they lay on load saying â—hat the Iesuits are the firebrands of all sedition enemyes to all secular priests such notable lyâ—rs as none wil beleeâ—e them no not when they sweare That by the schismatiks in England they are called horseliches and bloud suckers And thus they go on rayling and reuiling without stop or stay eyther of shame fastnes or conscience as though it were not wrytten neque ebriosi neque maledici regnum Dei possidebunt both which synnes these men heare do notably expresse by their intemperancy of tongue and yet for very shame they leaue out â—6 whole articles which are in the latyn albeit these which they set downe heere in English are so slaunderous and malitious as we are ashamed to wade further therin Yet wil we end with one that wil make yow laugh or rather pitty the blyndnes of their folly for thus they wryte that F. Holt and his companions had gathered such an infinite masse of money in Flanders of the Catholiks in England for dispensations or vnder the colour of expending it to their vses as many credibly affirmed it to exceed the some of fifty thowsand pounds English which make two hundred millioÌ„s of Italian scudes VV. G. â—p ad Marc. 8. August 1596. The quotation they omit according to their fashion for couering their freÌ„ds credit that wrote this notable excesse but yet do ouerthrow their owne credit in this ridiculous multiplication of two hundred millioâ—s of Italian scudes which is more money perhaps then all the princes in Italy orels where in ChristeÌ„dome can lay togeatherâ— In the latyn copy taken out of VV. G. his letters it is ducenta millia two hundred thousand which these men eyther by ignorance or malice would needs increase to the number of two hundred millions And we haue byn credibly informed that wheÌ„ F. Persons came to Rome in the yeare 1597. Cardinal â—urgheâ—ius who at that tyme was imployed by his Hol. as Viceprotector in compounding the styrres of the tumulâ—uous
schollers told the said Father that no one thing had made his Hol. more cleerly to discouer and see the passioÌ„ both of the â—â—rbulent in the Colledge and of their setters on from FlaÌ„ders then this particular accusation wrytten from thence F. Holt of two hundred thowsand crownes gotten by him to the Society out of England for said he yf it had byn some moderate summe it might haue borne some probability of suspitioÌ„ but now it cannot be thought true by any man VVhervnto F. Persons answered that yf it could be proued that the body of the Society or any man therof to their vse had receyued out of England from their first entrance vnto that day not two hundred thousand crownes but two hundred pens to be bestowed in benifite of the said Societie and not on English men or the English cause that then he was content that all the rest obiected by the slanderers should be graunted for true which he confirmed by diuers examples of English gentlemen dying beyond the seas as M. Charles Basseâ— M. George Gilbert and others who left diuers good somnes of money freely geuen to the said society or to be disposed by them at their pleasure and namely the later of the two left by testament yet extant 800. Crownes in gyft to the house of probation of S. Andrewes in Rome VVherof or of any other such gyft the General that now is Claudius Aquauius would neuer suffer any one penny to be admitted eyther to the vse of the Society or to any frend of theirs but only to be left and distributed to Englishmen in necessity to the vse of the English cause as it was And the colledg of Rhemes had of this and other money left by the same gentleman when he died to the arbitrement of the said Iesuits two thousand crownes in gold and the body of the Society neuer a penny as to this day appeareth by manifest records And thus much by occasion we haue byn forced to vtter in this behalfe hauing thorowly informed our selues of the truth and we could say much more in this matter of the exceeding charity and charges also of those good men bestowed vpoÌ„ vs and our cause yf the shortnes of this treatise did not prohibite to enlarge our selues in such matters Yet can we not pretermit but to aduertise the Reader that our brethren in the beginning of this their treatise of accusations against Iesuits do remit vs to the 52. Page of their booke where they wryte thus VVe wil put yow in mynde that after Cardinal Allens death the students in the English colledge at Rome â—elt no lesse oppression by the Iesuits their tyâ—â—mâ—ysing gouernours then we did at home c. It may be that heâ—rafter some of our brethren wil set out those tragedyes at large which 〈◊〉 long and wil appeare to all men of indifferency to haue byn very intollerable in the meane while you shal vnderstand that two or three did wryte a teatâ—se of the Iesuits dealing and naming it a memorial dedicated the same in latyn to his Holines in the yeare 1597. c. The imputations wherof were so very sharp and touched their freehould so nerely as no maruel yf F. Garnet bestyrred his stumpes to saue their credits by all the meanes and wayes he could deuise c. Thus they wryte and by their very stile yow may learne their spirit and what maner of imputations were obiected yow haue partly now heard before for the story of the Roman styrres heere threatned we suppose they wil not be so foÌ„d as to set it forth especially hauing read what we haue autheÌ„tically wrytten therof in the 5. Châ—p of our Apology which these men shal in vayne go about to difâ—redit by bare scorneful words without proofes And wheras they here iest at that reuerend man F. Garnet for bestyâ—â—ing his stâ—mpes as their phrase is for sauing the Iesuits credits he did no other than any iniured or oppressed innocent man could do in such a case against so false and malitious slanders published against religious men which was to require the testimonyes of all the good priests in EnglaÌ„d for reproofe therof And to the end no man should say or testify more then he knewe wherof it seemeth these men haue litle care who affirme euery thing absolutely he suggested vnto them a tryple way of wryting the one for them that knew all to be false as indeed it was and may be prooued so to affirme in their letters the other for such as could not say so much of their certayne knowledge that the whole accusation was false but only that they knew not the things to be true nor had themselues any such opinion or matter to accuse the fathers of consequently must needs suspect these things to be false these we say to wryte so much and no more And the third way was that such as could not or would not intermedle in the articles or matters themselues objected yet to testifie that they were no authors therof nor knew any thing of the said Memorial Thus scrupulously with so great modesty wrote F. Garnet to the priests of England for their testimonyes of only truth in this behalfe for which these gybers say heere now that he bestyrred his stumpes and was content to play smal game before he would sit out and that he swore by more then his litle honesty there was not a true word in the said Memorial c. And that they sildome fal out to be the honestest men who are dryuen to seeke testimonials for their behauiour c. which is a style fitter for Ruâ—â—ians and souldiars then for sacred and anoynted priests if they were priests that wryte this or had so much inward light of reason or conscience as to consider the absurdity of this base kind of comical wryting against such men of their owne religion And as for the testimonyes themselues required by F. Garnet we would aske our people what other way could there be taken by any honest and modest men for their defence in so publike an infamaâ—ioÌ„ then to remit themselues with such indifferency as they do to the report of their fellow priests and Catholike brethren did not the Apostles also do the like when need required and all good men after them c. VVherfore to end this matter we say that the good fathers both in Rome heere hauing byn more vngratefully and vnworthily and more opprobriously slaundered by the intemperate tongues of some of our contrey meÌ„ then euer perhaps men of such quality were by Cath. people so much obliged to them for their labors and other benefits as our men are they haue alwayes hitherto taken and borne the same with the greatest patience that men could expect and haue neuer fought any other reuenge or satisfaction at their hands that most haue iniured thâ—â— but their true reconciliation and amendement nor any further iustification of themselues then
only to satisfie the bare truth in matters obiected And this is most apparant besides other argumentes by the end of the forsaid Roman sedition where such of the troublesome as remayned after quietnes restored were as tenderly soued cherished and made of by the fathers as if neuer any such matter had fallen out By which notorious charity diuers of them that had byn of those styrs were moued afterward to exceeding great internal sorow for their former proceedings and some of them also resoluing for better satisfactioÌ„ to enter into the said Society it self And the like effects of better consideration wil ensue also heere after in England we doubt not in those that be of good consciences when this tempest of passion shal be past and reason restored to her place for which we shall pray And in the meane space for that the pittiful state of our passionate brethrens soules dothâ—ly continually before our eyes if they should die before they enter into due consideration of pennance and satisfaction we cannot but warne them especially those that haue eyther wrytten or published or imparted froÌ„ hand to haÌ„d the foresaid infamations against the fathers of the Society or other men or haue consented therunto that according to all Catholike diuinity conscieÌ„ce and reason they are in a damnable state of mortal synne and subiect also to the censures and punishments appointed therunto and that they are bound to restitution in the best manner they can though it were with the losse of their owne good names by recalling the said reproches that no ghostly father with safe conscience can absolue them being in this state except they promise effectually to make this restitution or rather do really and actually preforme the same And this not to be any exaggeration of ours but rather the common and knowne sense doctrine of all learned Catholiks is euident by their wrytings about this matter of infamation the penaltyes wherof are expressed by both Ciuil and Cannon lawes The ciuil saith thus Si quis famosum libellum domi vel in publico c. If any dâ—find any infamons libel though vnwittingly at home or in publike or any other place and much more yf he should compose it if he do not teare and burne the same but manifest it to others he must dy for it as yf he had byn the author therof The Canon law sayth Qui in alterius famam c. He that shal deuise and publish eyther by woord or wryting any contumelious thing wherby another is infamed and being found is not able to proue it flagelleâ—ur let him be whipped and he that first findeth the said contumelious wryting let him teare it vnder paine to incurre the same penalty with the author Thus they say and much more to this effect might be alleadged as wel for other punishments as also their obligation to restitution if this place did beare it or the thing it selfe were obsecure only we shal in the name of the rest set downe some few words of that most learned and pious wryter 〈◊〉 and the rather fot that he seemeth to speake in the same sense and feeling compassion which we do of our brethren for hauing first defined the case and quality of the synne in his Summarie wryting vpon the decretalles in these words Libellum famosum componere aut repertum palam facere graue peceatum est grauius famam â—aesam non restituere To compose any famous libel or to publish the same being made by another is a greeuons synne but much more greeuous not to restore the same of them that are iniured Thus he sayth and then he maketh his further consideration vpon the same Quod multi parum animâ—â—duertentes c. VVhich thing many not weighing wel do greuously offend both diuine and humane maiest and do most miserably clog their owne soules with the obligation of restoring the same of those whome they haue stanâ—dered and which is to be bewayled with â—eares they scarse euer disburden their said soules in this behalfe Thus saith he which in our opinion ought much to be considered and remembered by our brethren especially seeing that both this man and other wryters do record that for â—nfaming a whole order of religion their is a special excommunication the absolution wherof is reserued to the Pope himselfe And whether the fore-related slanders vttered with such a tooth against the Iesuits who by the Sea Apostolike are made partakers of that and other like priuiledges may bring our brethren within that case we leaue to them and their ghostly fathers to consider and weigh for their owne security which we admonish them sincerely and as in the fight of God almightie considering that the foresaid obligation of restitution byndeth not only in the case of true libels if any would so fondly flatter themselues as to thinke these not to be such but also in euery false or vniust infamation whatsoener And this shal be sufficient for the present about this matter except we be forced to ad any thing hereafter when the said story of the Roman styrres shal come forth And hitherto the discreet Reader wil easily consider what manner of subiects and arguments these two are of the proceedings of VVisbich and of the accusations layd against Iesuits brought in by our brethren in this former book which they cal A Relation But the other arguments which followeth in the book intituled Important Considerations c. surpasseth all the rest in folly and phrensy contayning not only a furious inâ—ectiue against particular men wherunto our Countrey and the wryters themselues are most bound and behoulden as the forenamed Fathers of the Society Doctor Sanders Card. Alleâ— and others by name but all the rest also of the learned Catholike men of our nation D. Stapleton D. Bristow M. Gregory Martyn M. VVilliam Raynolds yea those of other countreys also and the very Popes themselues and their doyngs as also the holy martyrs in like maner of our nation that haue suffered and all other good and godly men are iniured in this most odious booke as by the sequel of this our narration shal appeare For first these men to grace themselues with my L. of London and other higher Magistrates by his meanes and mediation and to wreake their spite vpon others of their owne coate calling and religion whose vertues they can neyther beare nor immitate and whose other gifts and graces they do highly enuy are come at length not only to be priuy mutiners against their Superiors and conspirers with the common aduersary as hitherto but openly also as publike enemyes to impugne their owne cause bydding warre and defiance to all those that haue or do defend the same contrary to their appetite and fancy which point of madnesse they do prosecute in this whole book by six or seauen most absurd positions or paradoxes iustifying first the proceeding of heretiques and persecutors against
to ioyne with heretiks in defaming of Iesuits but needful and necessary also for that the contrary say they should quite cut of the order of iustice stop the course of fraternal correption hinder the effects of Christian Charity violate the lawes of God and manâ— c. The second part of the obiection and answere to it was forgotten or left out in the text and therfore hauing considered better of the matter they haue put it in afterward in a long marginal note or commentary in these words The obiection of many that are of the spanish faction is very friuâ—lons if 〈◊〉 malitious when they say why do the priests lay the faults vpon Iesuits 〈◊〉 cause of the cath persecution seing it is welknowne that the aduer saryes to both priests and Iesuits and all Catholiks are cause therof c. VVbich admitte it were true yet the Iesuits being equally guilty with them it belongeth to priests to cleare the innocent Catholiks and leaue the Iesuits iu the suddes and our aduersaryes to those that haue to do with them c. Lo heere the answere or resolution of this obiection that though it were true that as wel protestants as Iesuits were the cause of persecution in England which point notwithstanding it seemeth they would haue held for doubtful and only Iesuites to be the cause yet do they think it reason to leaue of the protestants and to attend only to accuse Iesuits and to leaue them in the suddes And is not this plaine malice and passion confessed by themselues what wit what spirit is there in this handling of their affayres who wil beleeue them what they say or do heerafter hauing allready so farr discouered their meanings actions and indeauours VVherfore heere also we must conclude as in the former and all the rest of the Chapters that ensue Inâ—ipientia eorum manifesta fit omnibus there folly is euident to all men and their passionate spirit is hidden to none THERE FOLLY AND presumptious spirit in making to them selues such aduersaries as they do CAP. III. AS wisdome doth consist in considering wel first before a man make breaches or enter into warre what manner of aduersaryes they are with whome he hath to fight so is there no point of folly greater then not to forethinke of this as it seemeth these our angry men haue not done but only for satisfying of their present passion haue lauished out and bid bataile to as many as euer stood in their way among which though there be many personages of great consideration and respect yet none in our opinion ought to haue byn of so great in this affayre as the man most contemned iniured and impugned by them as in the former Chapter hath byn seene we meaue their prelate and lawful imediate Superior M Blackwel not so much in respect of his owne person and gifts of God annexed therunto which are knowne to be both many and great but of his place and authority giuen him by Christ and his substitute ouer the whole body of English Catholiks both priests and laymen which make at this day our true Cath. Church of England For albeit some others here iniured also may for other considerations and ought to be more regarded by them yet he in that he is Gods substitute among them ordayned confirmed and reconfirmed by the Sea Apostolike and consequently in the place of Christ to guide and gouerne them of which kynd of men Christ himselfe expressely saith qui vâ—s spernit me spernit qui spernit me spernit eum qui misit me He that contemneth yow coÌ„temneth me and he that contemneth me contemneth him that sent me and S. Paul said qui potestati resistit damnationem sibi acquirit he that resisteth power appointed ouer him doth draw damnation vpon himselfe for these causes we say all holy Fathers and spiritual wryters do agree that our spiritual superiors are most of all other men to be respected by vs yea before angels themselues yf they should conuerse with vs vpon the earth for that these mens authority is knowne euidently to be from God which in angels is not except by reuelation and consequently that the greatest synne of all other yea the highest point of spiritual synne pride and presumption is to molest make warre against them but much more to despise and abuse them And albeit our discontented people may haue this conceyte for their refuge and seeke also to persuade others the same as they do that hauing appealed from him and his iurisdiction they are free and not bound to any obedience or respectiue behauiour toward him yet to all men of any capacity and learning this is knowne to be otherwise both in reason conscience and constitution of Ecclesiastical canons For albeit a man may appeale from one Superior to another in certaine cases yet that doth not take away the said Superiors authoritie but restrayneth him only when the Appeale is lawful and vpon good grounds not to proced in that particular case vntil the higher Superior haue giuen his decision And if he admit not the Appeale but do remit the Appellantes backe againe to obey the said immediate superior as his Hol. hath done in this our case by his breue of the 17. of August last past then is their case as it was before and they more obliged to obey then before But howsoeuer any Appeale succedeth most cleare it is that the parties appealing are bound to obey and shew themselues dutiful in all other things while the Appeale dependeth before the higher iudge no lesse then yf any such Appeale had neuer byn made and much more after the controuersy ended and decyded as ours now is and the Authority of our Archpriest both established and reestablished and therfore for our disordinate brethren to vse him contumeliously togeaher with all those of their owne coate or others lawfully ioyned with him in due subordination as they do in these their books cannot but be a most presumptious haynous synne in the sight of God and infinite discredit vnto them in the eyes and iudgements of all good and godly men to haue such a one and so many dependent of him for their open aduersaryes as they are not ashamed to confesse and professe in these their books This then in our opinion cannot be but a great poynt of folly as was also that to take so vniuersally and generally against the whole order of Iesuits vsing so opprobrious names against the whole body as in the former Chapters yow haue heard for by so doing they can gaine no credit but with the heretiks that hate the whole order for religions sake and euery Catholike wil easily see and consider that a whole body or society cannot haue offended our brethren in any particular matters and consequently seing that they concurre with Protestants in deprauing the whole order it must needs be eyther of great passion and folly in hating the whole for
wish that a playne contrary course were taken by vs towards them from that which they haue vsed towards vs seing that our cause doth beare it which is of contrary state and condition to theirs for wheras their cause being false and infirme they would neuer consent to come to any indifferent tryal or disputation with the Catholiks I would wish that seing our cause is true and substantial and the more it is tryed the more it wil appeare that once at least at the beginning ful satisfaction were giuen by all English Catholiks to them and all other heretiks of the world by as ful free equal and liberal disputations as possibly could be deuised within our Realme c. Thus he wryteth and then setteth downe diuers particulars about the meanes lawes and conditions that might be prescribed for the good preformance of this affayre cōcluding in these words And thus much for gayning of those that haue byn deceaued by error and are of good nature and think they do wel and do hold a desyre to know the truth and follow the same and finally do hope to be saued as good Christians and do make accompt of an honest and true conscience though they be in heresy c. So saith he and much more which we omit and by this we may see in part this mannes disposition that he resolueth nothing of himself but only propoundeth to be taken or left in parte or in whole as shal be thought best And thus much for a tast of the first part of this Memorial The second part of this worke concerneth the Cleargy contayning Bishops Priests Churches vniuersities and religious orders both men and women and hath this title to the first Chapter therof Of the Cleargie in general what they are and ought to do at the next chaunge and how soundly to be vnited with the laytie c. which Chapter beginneth thus Hauing to speak of the Cleargie in general which God from the beginning of his Church vouchsafed to name his owne portion for that they were dedicated more peculiarly then other men to his diuine seruice and our Sauiour to cal them by the most honorable name of the light of the world and sale of the earth the first point of all to be remembred vnto them seemeth to be that yf euer there were a tyme wherin the effect of these names were needful to be shewed and put in execution it wil be now at the begining of our countreys next conuersion whose fal and affliction may perhaps in great part be ascribed to the want of these effects in former tymes past c. And furthermore it may be considered that the State of the Cleargie in England after our long desyred reduction and happy entrance of some Cath. Prince ouer vs and after so long and bitter storme of cruel persecution wil be much like vnto that which was of the general Church of Christendome in tyme of the first good Christian Emperour Constantine the great after the bloudy persecutions of so many infidel Tyrants that went before him for thre hundred yeare togeather at what tyme as God on the one side prouided so many notable zealous and learned men for the establishing of his Church as appeareth by the three hundred and eightene most worthy Bishops gathered togeather in the first general counsel of Nice so on the other side the diuel ceased not to styrre vp amongest the Cleargie of that tyme diuers and sundry diuisions emulations contentions some of indiscreet zeale against such as had fallen and offended in tyme of persecution and some other grounded vpon worse causes of malice emulation and ambition tending to particular interest wherby both that good Emperour in particular and all the Church of God in general were much troubled and afflicted and many good men scandalized and God almighties seruice greatly hindred and the common enemy comforted And considering that the tymes men matters and occasions may chaunce to fal out very like or the same in Englād whensoeuer it shal be reduced to the Catholike faith againe great and special care is to be had least semblable effects should also follow to the vniuersal preiudice of our common cause VVherfore this ought to serue as a preparatiue both for our Prince and people to put on the same pious and generous mynd that Constantyne did to beare patiently with the infirmityes of men and remedy all matters the best he may and the people but especially priests to beware of like deceyt of the diuel and among other things if perchance in tyme of persecution cause hath byn giuen or taken of offence or disgust betweene any persons whatsoeuer that haue laboured in Gods seruice and do tend al to one end to procure effectualy now that it be altogeather cut of and put in obliuion and this especially amongst the Cleargie and by their meanes also amongst others And if there should be any vnquiet or troublesome spirit found that vnder any pretence would sow or reap or maytaine diuision that the holy Apostles counsel be followed with him which is to note and eschue him to the end that all may ioyne cheerfully and zealously to the setting vp of this great and important worke of reformation And thus much for concord This is his beginning of the second part and conforme therunto is the prosecution therof shewing in the second and third chapters how bishopricks deanryes and other cheefe prelatyes ought to be prouided with the first and what maner of men are to be procured for them And wheras some of these calumniators haue giuen out and wrytten also in books that this father would first destroy the auncient subordination and hierarchie of the english Church this is refuted by the very titles of these chapters and much more by his whole discourse therin and secondly haue affirmed that he would haue no clergie man to haue any propriety in any ecclesiastical lyuing but only to be put to pensions this also is euidently false in Bishopricks deanryes Archdeanryes Canonryes and the like as may appeare in the chapter heere mentioned for that he persuadeth these first of all to be prouided of incumbents and thirdly it is no lesse false in particular cures and common benefices as is cleare by that he suggesteth Cap. 2. for their furnishing with fit men by way of opposition and trial both for learning and maners And wherof then thinke yow arose the calumniations of putting priests to pensions yow shal heare it out of the fathers owne words I haue spoken before saith he of English preachers to be sent ouer into the realme with diligence at the beginning allotting to euery bishop so many as may be had for that purpose and that he deuyde them as he shal thinke most needful and that for some yeares it wil be more commodious perhaps for the publike and more liberty for the preachers priests themselues to haue no appropriation or obligation to any particular
In the seauenth place yow are to ponder certayne notes of his set downe in the margent of his book wherby for breuityes sake we leaue yow to gesse what is handled more at large in the text First then he complayneth in one note thus That the Queene must seeme to be put in security for her tyme for these are the words of his marginal note and from that he passeth to other matters of like substance and quality as may appeare by these other marginal notes following to wit first that the wryter of this conference neyther profiteth the king nor the common cause by discourse of succession And then againe to the same effect he maketh this other annotation The disseruice done to the king by this Conference And yet further in another margent The book of Conference was not printed with the late Kings priuâ—â—y or liking And yet againeâ— This author and lawyer do mock and abuse the K. of Spaine By all which yow may see how dutiful a seruant to the K. of Spaine this discouerer would make himself which yet lying in Paris we maruaile much that he would professe so openly as also how he wil like of these confederates of his faction now gone thither out of England we meane the reuolted priests who in all their late books and libels do band against the said king and shew egregious hatred and enmity towards him But each one of these good fellowes speaketh for himself and for the tyme present and as it standeth best for him at that instant hauing no other vnion or agreement with his followes but to impugne a third and all their barking is but as of little whelpes against them that passe athwart them and when all is done they may be gotten againe with a bit of bread And we haue seene a letter of one of them wrytten from Paris to Spaine not long since wherin he offereth that yf he might haue but 4. or 5. Crownes the moneth from that king he would be content as before And we haue the original letter to shew yf need be though for this tyme we wil conceale his name And the like may yow presume of this eager discouerer that yf any least commodity might be had from Spaine or els where he would quickely bite at it as he did while it was to be had though for the present they say he is most busy and earnest in Paris to set forward the seditious that seek to lay the foundation of their fauour and credit as wel in England as with the K. most Christian by professing auersion from Spaine and this is thought a wise politike course by them but the end wil prooue all And so we returne to the treatese of our counterfet discouerer againe VVe haue shewed hitherto what trifles he hath handled in his vayne and idle discouery not touching any one substantial point of so many of great moment as are contayned and handled in the said two books of succession For to speak nothing of the second book wherin matters are treated historically for the most part what more weighty or important matters can be handled about the right and interest of the succession of any crowne then is treated in the first book by the author of the coÌ„ference as for example whether gouernmeÌ„t â—e by law of nature diuine or humane how monarchies and kingdomes were begon and continued and by what right how great and high reuerence is due vnto Princes and yet how in some cases they may be restrayned or chasisted by the common wealth what interest Princes haue in their subiects goods lands and lyues How oathes made vnto them do bynd and what oathes princes themselues as namely those of England do make in their coronation to the common wealth and how farre they bynd VVhat is due to only succession by birth or propinquity of blood without other needful circumstances concurring therwith what are the principal points which a Catholike and godly common welth ought to respect in admitting or excluding any pretender to a crowne or Principality and how greuously they do synne that neglect these considerations for interest feare negligence or other humane respects c. All these and diuers other most worthie and weighty points are handled in the first book only of the conference to say nothing of the second which is yet of more variety with great aboundance and store of proofes arguments and demonstrations wherof no one at all is answered or so much as touched by this discouerer but only certaine impertinent trifles as hath byn said and therby is discouered his owne weaknes and his folly displayed And yet to the end not to seeme wholy to say nothing he standeth finally vpon two fond calumniations the first that the conference conteyneth popular doctrine perilous to Princes states and common wealthes c. And herof he giueth certayne vayne and foolish examples of Antonio Perez that raysed some trouble against the K. of Spaine in Aragon and of George Buchanan in Scotland and of the Prince of Oreâ—ge in Flanders c. But this cauil is answered at large in the third Chapter of the said first book of Conference others that ensue shewing that there is no reason why the lawful graue iust and orderly proceeding of true subiects and moderate commoÌ„ wealthes against pernicious or vnlawful princes should be stayned or their iust authority left them by all law both diuine and humane should be denied for that some wicked and trooble some subiects haue against law and order misbehaued themselues against their lawful princes The other cauil is that this conference is iniurious to the king of Scotland with whome the discouerer would gladly get some credit by malitious impeaching of others and to this end he noteth in his margent these words The authors extreame malice against the king of Scotland But whether this lightheaded discouerer doth shew himselfe more malitious in setting downe so malignant a marginal note or the author of the conference in wryting so temperaâ—ly and reuerently as he doth as wel of the king of Scotlands pretence to England as of all other princes and pretenders to that crowne besides let the indifferent reader be iudge Sure we are that in reading ouer that part which toucheth his Maiestie of Scotland we neuer discouered any the least malice at all in the wryter but rather a very indifferent mynd to haue the vttermost right of euery man knowne without offering wrong or iniury to any according to which indifferency the said king of Scotlands title is set downe in the very first place in that book as first and cheef pretender among the rest neyther is there any one thing emitted to our knowledge that truly and rightly may be said or added in setting out of the same title And when the exceptions made by the opposite pretenders against him are declared nothing is auouched which is not openly knowne to be true neyther any thing
is to be noted that one of their precursors sent before and falling into the company of a certayne Irishman in the way that went to the Camp he told him and by him others that he was a Iesuite therby to get the greater fauour at Cath. mennes haÌ„dsâ— so as yow see that when they are among good Catholiks they say they are Iesuits and when they are among heretiks other of that humour they say they are enemyes to Iesuits But now to their dealing at Newport First they shewed there diuers pasports the first as of banished men and this yow must think was to serue for deceauing some good Catholiks and to mooue them to compassion of their state but after being vrged they plucked out another much more general and ample ful of fauour and priuiledge to passe how when and where and with what they would and this was aswel for their safty and protection at the ports as also to grace themselues with all sorts of protestants or other aduersaryes of Iesuits or catholike religion beyond the seas seing that in Genena also this pasport would make them very grateful Hauing shewed their pasports they began to deale with the Nuntio of their affayres telling him first a notoriousâ—ly to wit that the cause why they durst not come vnto himâ— without a pasport nor had dealt with him before was for that they had heard him paynted our vnto them by some of the otherside yow must imagine for a seuere inhumane bitter and tetrical nature for these are the words of the Nuntio reporting them afterwards and that now finding the contrary by experience they would deale confidently with him and then conforme to this principle of flattery and false preoccupation they related vnto him many other vntruthes in like manner no lesse grosse and odious as this as for example that many priests in England being of their side and faction durst not wryte their mynds freely vnto him for feare and terror of the Archpriest and Iesuits in which kind of false detraction against those men they â—o enlarged themselues as though they were the greatest tyrants in the world and themselues ful innocent myld and meck creatures not offering but receauing wrongs and iniuryes and that for their owne parts they were most ready to conforme themselues to his Hol. wil and his L. in all points which when we saw wrytten these dayes we remember the lowly answers giuen by Luther and his frends at Augusta to Card. Caeâ—an the Popes legate registred both by Coclaeus Surius and others in the yeare 1520. and what insued after we wil not forbode in matter of religion God forbid but in sedition we see it already and God graunt the other do not follow also in some of them at length But let vs returne to their dealing with the Nuntio at Newport After many complaints the Nuntio at length as a wise man passing ouer their clamors and pressing neere the point it self he vrged them to vtter the principal causes of this their so scandalous tumultuation they resolued all vpon two principally The first that the Archpriest had taken away some of their facultyes for smal and light causes the other that he had not giuen them and theirs part of certayne almes sent vnto him to distribute The Nuntio maruayled to heare no greater causes of so great motions and offerred yf this were all he would take vpon him himself to end the matter wryting back first to the Archpriest to require his answere which they accepted of offering moreouer that two of theirs should go back into England to carry the said letters whilst the rest to wit M. Bagshaw and Bluet passed further to Paris to conferre with certaine of their companions there about this matter and so the Nuntio accepted all for that tyme not being acquaynted with their deceytful manner of speaking and dealing nor hauing vnderstood of their malitious books printed against Catholiks and the Popes Hol. himselfe wherof soone after their departure he had notice and consequently he wrote into England in another stile concerning their being with him then he would haue done as after he said yf he had byn so farre priuy to their doings and meanings before He shewed them also an authentical copy of his Hol. Breue of the 17. of Aâ—gust last past wherin their whole cause of Appellation is reiected and decided against them and they commaunded most seuerely to obey and to be quiet And the like also did shew to them or their fellowes the Nuntio in Paris but all was not sufficient to quiet them or bring them into order againe hauing promised as is likely to their true patrons in England to passe further in this stryf VVherfore they departing from Newport towards Paris they past by Lisle and Doway and as in the former place they receaued yow must imagine no smal good cheere and incoragement from one of their cheefe Captaynes residing there whose hand and hart is knowne to be deeply in these broyles for many years so in the second to wit in the Colledge of Doway though for treaty they receaued all competent curtesy and were conuited twise or thrise by the President Doctors and other graue men of that house yet were they dealt withall notwithstanding plainly touching their negotiation and told the truth and the greeuousnes of that scandalous and sinful action was layd open vnto them but in vayne as it semeth for they vttered by words no lesse folly and fury in diuers points then in their shameful libels is contayned which being testified by the witnesse of them that heard them proueth the said libels to be theirs or at least to be writteÌ„ and set forth by their consents From which notwith-standing some of their crew haue seemed of late to disclayme but these men shewing to disauouch nothing we shal attend to heare what they wil do in Rome And thus now haue we brought our Appellants so farre as Paris for thither they went from Doway where they are further to demurre vpon that they haue to do or how to proceed in their interprise being cryed out of in the meane space by all principal English Catholikes beyond the Seaâ— as we are certainely informed for this so horrible a scandal giuen by them And if Englishmen do so then much more would we haue yow consider what Catholike men of other nations abroad in the world â—â—â—ve began to say wil think and speak of these men that haue set such a fire and made such a diuision in our owne litle afflicted Church at home such a one and with so great and daungerous dammage of the publike cause of religion as neuer they wil be able to recompence or satisfie And truly it is strange to heare what is already wrytten vp and downe through other contreys about this their affayre and manner of proceeding For we haue seene letters both from Germany Flanders Venice Rome Paris other places euery one telling diuers particulars of
them and not matter of religion Their persons in that they make them the true authors and occasioners of all their owne troubles vexations and damages by their owne indiscreet and temerarious actions as hath byn said They iustifie also the cause of the persecutors do lay the fault vpon the presecuted what greater iniuryes can be offered then these Moreouer by these their later books and libels they discouering notoriously their passion venome of stomake indiscretion intemperance lack of conscience modesty shame and other such poynts as are euident to those that read their said books this cannot but worke in all Catholiks whose mynds are holylie bent and indued with the contrary vertues a great disreputation and auersion from them VVe passe ouer their follysh speches vsed comoÌ„ly against all Catholiks whome they thinke not to fauour them which are in effect all calling them mad dogges set on by Iesuits to barke and byte deuour their deare ghostly Fathers c. And then againe a litle after in the same place VVheras deare Catholiks many of yow do account vs disobedient true it is that we are so and would to God that yow were so likewise Yow inferre heervpon that we are factious seditious rebellious malecontents schismatiks c. marke how good opinion Catholiks haue of them by their owne confession but therin yow do bely vs by false suggestions put into yowr greene ignorant passionate affectionate indiscretly zealous heads Lo what Epythetons they giue them And in other place they cal them fancyful fellowes of the new fashion infected with the Spanish pip iniesuitated and the like But it litle importeth what names or coÌ„tumelious speeches they vse towards them in respect of the thinges themselues and crimes obiected and vrged against theÌ„ as before hath byn said wherby they seeme to labour to ouerthrow directly so much as in them lyeth the whole merit and honor of the Cath. cause and of Cath. mens sufferings making them not to be for conscience but for practise against the Prince and state a most wicked and iniurioÌ„s deuise practised principally by Constantius the Arrian heretik and Iultan the Apostata as Ecclesiastical historyes do recount And this is held for the principal point wherin these vnfortunate men are thought to be hyred by the publike aduersary in religion to ioyne with them in this Capital slaunder against their owne brethren and cause confirming herin the reports of our heretikes in forraine countreys who tel staungers that no man is troubled in England for matters of conscience but all that are punished are chastised for other delicts then which vnworthy reproch all men of iudgement do see that nothing can be more falsely sâ—aunderously or iniuriously laid vpon our publike cause For auoyding of which our late good Card. stryued so much in his learned book against the libel of English iustice as all men know and these men iest at and impugne This then being the effect of these mens labors and endeauors and their whole stryse and contentioÌ„ beeing to deuyde disgrace and discreedit both Catholiks and their cause we may immagine what credit they are like to gaine with them by these their doings And so much of this But yet further it shal not be amysse to ponder also what reputation they are like to wyn at length with the very aduersaryes themselues who setting a side the contrariety of religion being many of them very wise and discreet men and of no euil nature and condition especially of those with whome these men are said to deale they wil easily discouer the great and strange passion of these men togeather with their intemperate spirit and that they do not this they do or say for any loue towards them but for reuenge towards vs not of iudgemeÌ„t or affection but of enuy and precipitation and ther vpon it must needs follow that albeit their treason for the tyme he admitted yet must the traytors be contemptible and to this effect haue we a notable story recounted both by Eusebius Zozomenus of Constantius Father to our great Constantine who was gouernour once of England and perhaps the fact it self fel out heer so much the more to be noted by vs. The forsaid two authors do recount that this Constantius being a notable wise man though a heathen at the same tyme when Dioclesian and Maximinian the Emperors to whome he succeded afflicted infinitely Chirstians euery where he though misliking that extreme cruelty yet to seeme also to do somwhat for that he was declared Caesar successor of the Empyre made an edict or proclamation that so many of the Christians about him as would sacrifice to his Gods should not only haue his fauour and enioy honors in his court and common welth but be vsed and trusted also by him aboue other men and such as would not though he meant not to put them to death yet would he exclude them from his frendship and familarity and from all dignityes c. This being done euery man began say the forsaid authors to shew his affection some retyred themselues with greef and sadnes some held their peace some denyed flatly but none of all these had intention to please the Prince in his demaund others there were that thinking by this occasion to wyn the spurres and get themselues credit and authority aboue the rest came fawning to Constantius and his officers offering to do what he would haue them and therby shew their true dutyful affections towards his Ma. and the state with other such like flattering protestations wherof when Constantius heard and had coÌ„sidered wel of the matter he caused them all to be thrust out of his court depriued them of the honors and offices which before they had and the other that had refused of conscience so to do against their owne religion he willed to be called back from exile aduaunced and trusted aboue the rest vsing that notable wise saying as Eusebius recounteth it Quomodo fidem erga Imperatorem saith he seruare poterunâ— inuiolatam qui aduer sus Deum persidi esse manifesto conuincuntur Quapropter hos procul à regali suo domicilio statuit ainandandos illos verò stipatores suos custodes regni constiâ—uit How can they keep their faith inuiolate towards their Emperor saith he that are conuinced to be prefidious toward God and their owne religion For which cause he comaunded these that flattered to be banished farre from his royal pallace and these other that dealt plainly and syncerly though contrary to his wil and comaundements he took them into his owne gard and defence and made them guardians of his kingdome Behold heer a worthy wise example which our English magistrats cannot but remember and think of and our brethren ought not to forget to doubt rather and feare least the like may happen vnto them in tyme. For albeit our aduersaryes be content to vse them for a tyme as for a rod
to beate vs with all and therby to increase our affliction yet rods coÌ„monly are cast away or burnt afterward when the turne is serued or the occasioÌ„ past And this we say in case the Prince and state should meane to punish vs more by their incitation or assistance offered which yet we hope they do not but rather as noble mynds are wont to do wil conceaue the more compassion of our greeuous sufferings by that they see vs betrayed also and iniuriously vexed by our owne and if God almighty should at length mooue their harts for which we pray dayly to harken vnto that most honorable and holsome motion so often propounded by the best Catholiks for some toleration in religion wherof these men also do whisper and brag much in corners as they passe through forrayne countreys as though they were designed Embassadors for the same and that at their demaund the matter were in consultatioÌ„ yet do we most certainely assure our selues knowing the grauity honor and wisdome of our Counsel as We do that this is but a vayne vaunt and that when God shal inspire them to harken to this proposition they wil deale with other manner of men of the Cathol party then these who being deuided from the rest that is from the body head and principal of that cause can haue litle credit to treat or set forward any such weighty affayre in the name of the rest being like sâ—ayles that beare each one their castle on their owne backes that is hauing no further reputation then themselues beare about with them in their owne heads and immaginations or giue it out by their owne tongues to such as wil beleeue them And so much of this There remayneth to say a word or two of forraine Princes whose fauour they seek to gayne by this their dissenting from their fellowes as namely with the king of Scotland to whome they sent first to offer themselues as diuers wayes we vnderstand and after that to the K. of France by their knowne Agents in Paris promising to be at his disposition and to oppose themselues against all pretences for Spayne c. but these are deuises so ordinary in court and with so great Monarches as these are we meane to offer mountaynes and to curry fauour by accusing others that it cannot worke any great impression in them especially considering how litle these men caÌ„ do eyther pro or coÌ„tra in the weighty affaire which they pretend about the succession of England and this whether we consider eyther the protestant party or the Catholike of our realme for that with the former they haue but very poore credit hitherto except they go forward and with the second perhaps much lesse except they turne backevvard and so for the tyme they rest betweene both which the wisdome of princes and their counselors wil soone espy and discerne especially his Maiestie of Scotland being very wise as he is reported wil easily heare and come to know that since they dealt with him by their late messengers to offer their seruices they haue dealt againe another way in England and haue deuised a new discourse about the successioÌ„ as we are credibly informed more to the taste of some great personages of our State whose present fauour they most desyre He wil ponder furthermore that if they be truly Catholike as they pretend then can they not with a good conscieÌ„ce to God and to their owne religion desire sincerely and from their harts whatsoeuer they say or pretend his Maiesties gouernment ouer Catholiks except he be of the same religion which if it were then is the desire of his preferment not only theirs but common to all Catholiks and if it be not then are they in the case of those flatterers of Constantius wherof we spake before and not vnlike to be so esteemed by him as those were by the other though not so roughly handled And finally his Maiestie of Scotland wil weigh and remember that whatsoeuer these men do say or doe they being of so smal consideration and credit as they are and so mutable as we haue shewed and their motiues so weake and passionate as by their owne wrytings and doings appeareth no great account is to be made therof And the like may be said of his Maiestie of France who being so great and potent a monarch as he is must needs euery day haue store of such poore sawning people running vnto him for their owne interests but yet with pretence of offering seruices against Spayne whome though in wisdome and law of princely royalty he caÌ„not presently reiect yet considering with maturity of former points and circumstances to wit what they are why they come from whome and against whome what grouÌ„ds they haue to worke vpon to what end they tend what they can performe and other the like he wil quickely both discouer and discard them for seing by his wisdome that to deale much with these men can neyther be honorable not profitable as tending rather to alienate then oblige or gayne the Catholike party in England And this wil prooue the true euent of this action if we be not deceaued and when they shal haue spent in Paris the good sommes of money which they carryed out of England with them and shal want the supplyes which now perhaps they hope and expect and shal heare from all places as already they do and wil daylie more and more the general bad opinion that is of them among all good Catholikes both English and other they wil then begin if we be not deceyued to see the folly of this bad and mad course taken in hand which we beseech God they may so do before it be to late to amend it And this is all we shal say of this matter for the present OF FIVE OTHER BOOKES or rather absurd and sclanderous libels come forth since the answering of the former two and tenne more promised CAP. VII MOST pittiful it is to consider how the frailty and infirmity of man once beginning to slyde commeth soone after to rush on with violence and precipitation if stay be not made in tyme lik as when a violent riuer stopped or bayed vp beginneth to breake forth at a chinke or two and the breaches not remedied at the first it ouerfloweth all making a deluge irremediable euen so falleth it out in this disorder of our transported brethren who beginning to exceed the limits of modesty and truth vpon anger emulation and other such passionate motyues as before haue byn mentioned and not staying themselues with the consideratioÌ„ eyther of reason conscience or religion haue now made such an open breach to all licentious liberty of vnshameful rayling and being as the prophet saith deâ—rita fronte haue so inured both tongues pennes with a certaine veyne of opprobrious and contumelious scolding as euery day there come forth and appeare new books from them the later euer worse and more intollerable then the former In which kynd
guiding soules c. which yf a man did say it was but an imitation of S. Bernard speaking of religious men rarâ—ùs cadunt velotiùs surgunt securiùs ambulant saepiùs irrorantur c. he addeth presently of himself and his VVe professe and glory in our calling that we do not bold is necessary for the better credit of our functions to vaunt of our more neere acquaintance with the almighty then our predecessors and brethren haue had that we are most confident not only in the excellency of our priesthood but also in the assurance that wee in the execution of our functions haue a sufficient direction of Gods holy spirit c. and do pray with all our harts that God wil euermore deliuer our secular priests from such familiarity as Iesuits haue with his diuyne maiesty c. Lo heere two poynts the first of pryde and as high presumption as any heretike lightly in these our dayes can professe to wit that they are most confident of wel by the excellency of their priesthood as by the assurance of Gods holy spirit that they shal be sufficiently directed for the execution of their functions as though eyther priests by their character only were made secure from synning or erring or that these few companions for as for the greatest part of priests in England twenty for one to these we know ful wel do detest this vanity had any spiritual assurance of Gods spirit aboue the rest or may confide or glory therin with lesser vanity then all sectaryes do of our dayes The other point is of impiety and Lucianisme iesting at all spiritual deuotion and familiarity with God by frequent meditation contemplation and other like caelestical vertues most highly commended by all ancient fathers in true seruants of God but contemned by this good fellow that hath no feeling therof according to the saying of S. Paul animalis home non percipit ea quae sunt spiritus Dei the sensual or carnal man doth not vnderstand those things that are of the spirit of God But let vs go forward yow see how they beginne And truly it were an endlesse course to follow them in their exorbitant raylings and lying first against the Society in general then against F. Persons in particular For of the first they say That albeit the order of the Society being approued by the Pope is to be honored c. yet few do liue according to their calling but rather as if religioÌ„ were nothing els but a meere political deuise c. Machauillian rules are raysed vp by them for rebellions murdering of Princes c. Few Kings Courts are in Europe where some of their maisterships do not reside of purpose to receiue and giue intelligences to their General in Rome c. These are their owne words with infinite more of like vntruth and immodesty which were ouerlong to recite VVe shal touch some few matters of innumerable obiected by them but no one proued or proueable He accuseth them of slaundring the State of England with iniurious handling of Catholiks both abroad and in prison they falsifie the doings of the state say they â—e they neuer so apparantly true c. For eyther they do pretend that the partyes that confesse things commytted were vrged therunto with tortures or that it was a plot of the state to make all Catholiks odious or that there was no such matter at all or that we wot not what but they haue alwayes some shift to bleare mens eyes to the discredit of all proceedings in such cases within the realme if any of our brethren dy in prison it is sayd they were poysoned or famished yf any kil themselues it is giuen out they were murdered c. Behold heere the complaint against Iesuits for speaking in defence of Catholiks against their presecutors And are not these proctors thinke yow worthy of their fees for this good office done But heare another more wicked and impious then this in the very next page where complayning of Iesuits though very falsely and foolishly and against all Cath. learning as before we haue shewed in our Apologie that they teach men to auoyd certayne bloody quaestions by equiuocations this say they amongst others is one of their rules c. As for example one demaunding of yow whether yf the Pope should come in warlike manner to inuade this land by force of armes would yow take his part or the Queenes yow framing this answere in your mynd we wil take the Quenes part yf the Pope wil comaund vs so to do may by their doctrine giue this answere lawfully videlicet we wil take the Queenes part coÌ„ceale the rest wherby he that asketh the question is plainly deluded c. Behold heere yong new Herodians that moue and renew most odious and daungerous questions about Caesar and his tribute all tending as yow se to entangle Catholiks againe by a figuratiue maner of accusing Iesuits after the question hath byn solued by the sheding of much innocent blood of martyrs the memory therof almost extinguished by length of tyme. But heare yet another example more odious then this And other examples say they they may aske vs to wit the persecutors whether we haue taught that her Maiest hath no interest to the crowne of England and we answere that we haue not so done iush say they yow equiuocate with vs yow keep this in your mynd videlicet as long as the B of Rome wil suffer her c. Did yow euer heare such wicked deuises to bring innocent men into hatred and daunger VVhat could these bloody companions say or do more to endanger their brethren then to bring in this odious dispute But now heare another impiety exercised by a sleight and figuratiue speech suggested to them no doubt by heretiks to bring in contempt suspition and auersion the holy sacrament of Confession and holsome vse therof saying Vnderstanding how that our Iesuits are most rigorous in their taking of mens confessions wherby they know as wel by the seruants as by their maisters mistresses their seueral confessions all the secrets in those familyes the wyues against her husband the husbands against his wife and the seruants of them both c. VVhat heretike could wryte more odiously then this And may not the like inconuenience be vrged against all priests yea against themselues if they be worthy to heare confessions Surely this is more like some ribalds speech then of a priest or Catholike There ensue a huge multitude of notorious lyes repeated againe in this libel which were handled by them before and refuted by vs in our Apologie As for example That the Iesuits were banished out of all the Seminaryes within the State of Milan an euidently as there we haue prooued by Card. Boromaeus That Card. Allen should say of Iesuits at their first entrance into England that they would prooue but thornes in the sides of secular priests a
so shamfully auoucheth the contrary The second act enacted or Statute saith he made in that high infernal Consistory was concerning Church Abbey lands c. all which must be vnder the holy Society of Iesus presently vpon the establishing of the spiritual monarchie which done their Father General must cal out 4. Iesuits and two secular priests who must be also demy Iesuits these six vicars I pray God not of hell for of heauen they are not like six Duch peeres shal haue the lands meanes c. resigned ouer to their hands for to allow to Bishops persons Vicars c. a competent stypend only to liue on euen as the Turkes Bassaes Genisaryes do lyue vnder him Thus wryteth he as out of the said book wherof no one word is there but all to the contrary The third Statute saith he was made concerning the nobility gentry such as to omit others Sir Robert Cecil Sir Iohn Fortescue c. with sundry other knights and Squyres all which were limited by that blynd prophane parlament what retinue they should keep how much should be allowed them to spend yearly c. And do yow not think these men to be more then half frantick that publish such deuises in print The fourth Statute saith he was made concerning the common lawes of this land consisted in this principal poynt that all the great Charter of England must be burnt all the manner of holding lands in fee simple fee tayle franke almayne c. must be brought into villany schoggery and popularity c. Thus he saith but if yow read the book it selfe yow shal find the playne contradictory of all put downe in the said Memorial For in the fourth Chapter of the third part therof which is intituled Of the Innes of Court and study of common lawes c. the whole course of the same lawes is persuaded to he continued with supply of some points that may be found wanting and reformation of others that may be abused so as all this heer alleadged is a meere fiction in the ayre The fifth Statute saith he was concerning Calumniation with a prouiso in the forsaid Statute that whosoeuer did offend a Iesuit or speak against this high Counsel of Reformation it should be lawful for the Fathers or their Synodical ministers to defame detract calumniate him or her at their pleasure be who they shal be noble peere or Prince Bishop Cardinal or the Pope himself c. To this deuised Statute we know not what ro say seing there was neuer any such word or thought The sixt Statute saith he in the forsaid high Counsel of Reformation may wery wel be called the Statute of Retractation which is a hoate counterblast to the former horneblast of Calumniation it goes vnder the tenour of a prouiso that if such such things do happen then the persons defamed contemned and condemned ad inferos aliue shal be as highly exalted aduaunced and elcuated ad caelos after their death c. This they wryte which being matters of meere madnes as yow see and neuer dreamed of by the author deserue only contempt and compassion for answere especially seing that in the end of all their babling about this book of reformation Statutes therin conteyned they conclude their whole treatese thus Happie were some men yf they might but haue a sight of that Statute book c. No doubt but he should fynd notable stuffe in it that would serue for many purposes c. This he seemeth to say of himself cōfessing herby that he neuer saw the book by him impugned so that whatsoeuer he hath set downe in almost 20. pages togeather against the same is not ouely without book but also must needs be forged and deuised hy himself And this is sufficient to shew the mans honesty and the credit of his compagnions and cause All which being considered litle more needeth to be said in this place for direction of discreet prudent Catholiks how to beare themselues which is the argument of this Chapter in this tyme of controuersy and contention raysed by the common aduersary and mayntayned by his instruments wherin we can say no more but as the holy Apostle S. Iohn said vnctio docebit the sweet direction of Gods holy spirit wil be a sufficient guide vnto Catholiks in this behalf and the discretiō or discerning of spirits so often and highly commēded by S. Paul and by vs before recommended wil yeild aboundāt light for the same For he that shal but a litle consider with himself on what side goeth the spirit of modesty patience longanimity obedience truth charity mortification feare of God and the like and on the other side the playne contrary spirits of clamors rage reuenge enuy and emulation audacious speches disobedience contempt resistance temerarious assertions false and slaunderous asseuerations as out of their books haue byn shewed He that wil weigh further with himself where how and when and by what men and against whome and vpon what causes and motiues these emulations and contentions were first begone and haue byn continued synce and what manner of men out of all sorts of discontented people haue runne vnto them against their Superiors maisters Fathers benefactors what ends the most of thē haue had or are like to haue according as in our Apologie we haue declared He that wil ponder moreouer how and by whome this great worke of Englands conuersion was begonne and hath byn mayntayned synce and is brought to the state wherin now it standeth and that the vnion of this body hath euer consisted in due subordination of one to another which these men now cannot abide it wil be very easy to frame a sound iudgment of the whole cause and men that handle it For first denyed it cannot be that priests and Iesuits ioyning all togeather at the beginning of the Seminaryes both at Doway Rhemes Rome and other places afterwards to wit D. Allen D. Saunders D. Stapleton D. Bristow D. VVebbe many other graue men of our nation togeather with the help credit and assistance of the Fathers of the Society both there and els 〈◊〉 did set this cause first on foot and haue promoted the same euer synce with conioyned labors of teaching preaching wryting bookes and the like and God hath prospered their labors as by the effects we see which being so it is easy to perceaue what spirit this is now which goeth about to seperate and disioyne all this agayne vnder fond and odious pretences that they are of diuers bodyes of diuers Societyes and of different vocations c. Is not this that diuelish spirit of dispersing so much detested by Christ himself in the ghospel Consider we pray yow who do gather and who do disperse And then further yf we consider wherfore these dispersers haue made all this trouble and diuision all this foule breach in our publike cause